Radical Parenting and Political Art

A lil' collab with Eleanor Ford from Creative Spaces <3

It’s easy to fall into the mindset that direct action is the only way to contribute to systemic change. Protest, civil disobedience, contacting government officials—all these approaches are critical pieces of the puzzle. I wrote this spring about the importance of direct action.

But there’s a whole other camp of action that is required for meaningful change. This is work around changing the cultural narrative that we all buy into, and it’s just as critical. 

Creating art. Writing, both fiction and non-fiction. Fundraising. Education, especially for the next generation.

All of these actions don’t necessarily feel as tangible as direct action, but we need them just as much if we’re going to see any cultural change, which, I think maybe, is the only thing that will drive political change.

As someone who loves to create political art, it can sometimes feel like a waste of time compared to something as direct as civil disobedience or protest. As an unschooling parent, our day-to-day lives don’t feel that revolutionary.

But then, when you see political art on someone’s t-shirt or radical graffiti in the streets, when you witness the beauty of non-coercive parenting and have it mirrored back to you in a child’s relationship, it’s so crystal clear that this work has a positive effect.

I was so excited this morning when Eleanor from Creative Spaces shared some colouring sheets she had been working on. I’m excited to share them with my child (who is no stranger to these slogans) to see what kind of art he might create. I’m excited to see them out in the world, a reflection of parents who envision a better future for their kids and this world they live in.

Don’t trick yourself into thinking that actions like creating art with your kids are insignificant. It is part of the ongoing cultural shift that needs to happen in order to enact political change.